Workforce drug positivity at highest rate since 2004

The report states that urine tests among the U.S. workforce had a positive result rate of 4.2%, the highest since 2004, when 4.5% of urine tests tested positive for drugs. Colorado and Washington, which were the first two states to legalize marijuana, have outpaced the rest of the country’s average in the growing trend of positive drug test results for marijuana. Colorado saw an 11% increase and Washington saw a 9% increase in drug tests showing positive results for marijuana. The positivity rate for cocaine increased for the fourth consecutive year, too, up 12 percent from last year and reaching a seven-year high of 0.28 percent. While marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine use yielded more positive drug-test results than years prior, heroin detection remained at the same rate. “This year’s findings are remarkable because they show increased rates of drug positivity for the most common illicit drugs across virtually all drug test specimen types and in all testing populations,” said Barry Sample, PhD, senior director, science and technology, Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions. “Our analysis suggests that employers committed to creating a safe, drug-free work environment should be alert to the potential for drug use among their workforce.”]]>